[BEST & WORST '12] The Best Posters Of The Year!
Posters, when done right, are an art form. Sure, they’re advertisements, but they’re also such a great artistic challenge. Representing the identity of a movie – and getting people in the door – with a single image? That’s tough. Rendering that image in a manner that resembles actual artwork (or something you’d hang on your wall)? Even tougher.
I get why it goes wrong sometimes. Whenever a sh*tty poster hits a lot of people blame the artist, but they’re not the only ones at fault. Studio marketing departments emphasize their perception of the film’s commercial assets – often sacrificing a compelling key art campaign in the process. Today we celebrate the posters that made it out alive, the ones with flair.
Some of them are for great films and and others are merely great posters for “okay” films. And some of these movies haven’t even come out yet, but their posters have – rendering them fair game. Head inside and click on their banners to check ‘em out!
Posters (Best/Worst) | Trailers (Best/Worst)
THE EVIL DEAD
![Evil Dead Poster 12 18 12 e1355854047989 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Evil_Dead_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "Evil_Dead_Poster_12_18_12")
A poster that’s not afraid to go old-school and promise something ridiculous. Plus, that image of an exhausted woman implies that’s how you will feel after watching it.
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
![The Cabin In The Woods Poster 12 18 12 e1355854130955 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/The_Cabin_In_The_Woods_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "The_Cabin_In_The_Woods_Poster_12_18_12")
A perfect, beautiful image that encapsulates the complexities of the film’s plot without giving a damn thing away.
PARANORMAN
![Paranorman Poster 12 18 12 e1355854207949 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Paranorman_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "Paranorman")
This isn’t the key-art for the film (those were good posters too, actually) but it is part of a series of officially sanctioned designs that really worked. I didn’t love Paranorman, but its visual aesthetic was never anything but top notch. And that ethos spread to the marketing materials as well.
CHRONICLE
![Chronicle Poster 12 18 12 e1355854323879 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Chronicle_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "Chronicle_Poster_12_18_12")
I really loved how this one-sheet suggested a brand new tone for superhero movies, something that director Josh Trank successfully lived up to in the finished product. Also, before the film had a trailer, this enigmatic image kept you guessing as to what the film was actually about.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER
![Abraham Lincoln Poster 12 18 12 e1355854248864 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Abraham_Lincoln_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "Abraham_Lincoln_Poster_12_18_12")
I found that the actual movie alternated between being mildly entertaining and horribly tedious. But the one-sheet was incredibly self-assured. I wanted to see that movie.
PROMETHEUS
![Prometheus Poster 12 18 12 e1355854431671 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Prometheus_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "Prometheus_Poster_12_18_12")
Whether or not the movie ultimately let you down, you have to admit that this poster had you foaming at the mouth for months.
EXCISION
![Excision Poster 12 18 12 e1355854476293 [BEST & WORST 12] The Best Posters Of The Year!](http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Excision_Poster_12_18_12.jpg "Excision_Poster_12_18_12")
An interestingly regal and bloody one-sheet. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but now I kind of want to. Marketing!
0 Comments
Agreed 100% on Prometheus. After seeing this poster, I was DYING to see this film….but with that said, I liked the other one better. You know, the one with the crashing ship, and the crew looking on in horror. That poster was PERFECT.
Out of all these, I would pick the Evil Dead one as my favorite. It’s simple, but it’s also disturbing, and it serves as a simple warning for the nasty and violent stuff you’re about to see in the remake.
And wow, I have to see Excision now. What a creepy poster!
The actual movie of Excision is just as awesome as the poster is. AnnaLynne McCord and Traci Lords are both amazing in it.
Excision was one of my favorites of the year, it’s both disturbing and out right hilarious. You all should see it!
I know I’m alone on this, but I actually didn’t care for the ‘Prometheus’ poster; It’s just a photoshopped still from the movie. The ‘Cabin in the Woods’ poster was my favorite.
the Prometheus poster was pretty awful i don’t mind sayin myself, i like evil dead tho, the poster with the girl bloody as fugg, ya im game on tht one..
Love the Evil Dead poster. The Cabin in the Woods poster was also great. And of course I love the Chronicle poster. If movies turned into soulmates, Chronicle would be mine. XD
i’m 100% excited for EVIL DEAD but the poster IMO is lame/boring/uninspired. i also hate the “The Most Terrifying Movie….” tagline thing.
i like the CHRONICLE poster too! the PROMETHEUS poster is decent.
Thanks to my being a theatre employee, I own the Prometheus, Cabin, and Abraham Lincoln one-sheets. I need to put my name in for the new Evil Dead and the Texas Chainsaw one. I’m honestly not even sure if I got a Chronicle one or not, that’s how long it’s been and that’s how many posters I have. LOL.
I can’t say enough times how much I love that Evil Dead poster. It’s just SO fucking…EVIL DEAD-ish! Seriously, how fuckin ballsy can they get? “THE MOST TERRIFYING FILM YOU WILL EVER EXPERIENCE”. Brilliant and, I feel, a great sort of homage to the original tagline, “THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE IN GRUELING TERROR”.
The Prometheus poster is great because it’s simple. If you have the right image (photoshopped or not) it’s all you need. The less you have to say, the better.
After all, effective graphic design, and especially poster design, is using the simplest images and just the right amount of words (even better when you can get away with none) to communicate a clear idea.
Evil Dead poster is so fucking badass. Raimi and Campbell are telling you that this will be the scariest experience of your life. I love the confidence. Those are two BAMF!